Donors sought for Millburn library blood drive

Township resident and regular blood donor Ivan Benjamin, center, receives a pin for reaching the milestone of five gallons in donations from John O'Connor, co-chairman of the Millburn-Short Hills Red Cross blood drives, and blood drive volunteer Sylvia Garcia during the Feb. 8 event at the Millburn Free Public Library.

Demand for blood products, during the winter months, is extra strong due to the limited number of donations received in this snowy season.

"We were very fortunate with our Feb. 8 blood drive as it was held on a day between snow storms," said Ed Borneman, co-chairman of the Millburn-Short Hills Red Cross monthly blood drives. "With the township doing a great job of snow removal, the February drive was a record for that month. The drive attracted 131 donors and yielded 125 useable units of blood. Even with the increased number of donors, the drive ran smoothly and wait time was minimized. It seems the word is spreading both in Millburn and the surrounding towns that we run a great drive, so our donor base keeps growing every month."

At the February drive the following regular donors received pins marking their donation milestones: Laura Bencivenga and Ivan Benjamin for five gallons, Carter Hagaman for four gallons and Peter Hoffman for one gallon.

Unfortunately, hospital patients do not get a holiday from needing blood products. Approximately every two seconds, a patient in the United States needs a blood transfusion. Blood and platelets are used for many different kinds of treatments. They include accident and burns, heart surgery, organ transplants, complications during childbirth, cancer, and sickle cell disease.

The next Millburn-Short Hills Blood Drive will be held at the Millburn Free Public Library on Saturday, March 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. To make an appointment, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).